Futures
by Glowbug24
Summary: Today, as it happens, is Rory's birthday. Who is Rory? Luke Triton's ten-year-old daughter. And who's celebrating it with her? Her puzzle-solving, animal-speaking, robot-building and bad-guy-punching extended family. Set roughly 25 years after Unwound Future.
1. Chapter 1

Chitra wakes me up.

 _Good morning good morning it's a very very good morning!_

I yawn and rub my eyes. "G'mornin'."

My robin friend bounces on the windowsill. _Silly nestling, no passion! Good morning! Very very very good morning!_

I giggle. "Okay. Good morning. How are your babies?"

 _Good very good! Fly soon, fly! Come see?_

"I'd like that, but I can't today. Mum and Dad are taking me to Professor's!" I hop out of bed and get my big jar of sunflower seeds. "Chitra, do birds have birthdays?"

 _Birth-day?_ She cocks her head. _Is that when nestlings hatch?_

"Hehe, sort of." I spread out some seeds on the windowsill for her. "Humans like to remember what day we were born on and have a party every year to celebrate. Today's my birthday. I'm ten!"

Chitra gulps down a couple of seeds. _Ten_ _YEARS?!_

"Mmm-hmm!"

 _Human nestlings grow slow._ She ruffles her feathers. _You fly soon?_

"Um, humans don't really have wings…"

Someone knocks on my door. "Rory," Dad calls, "wake up, birthday girl! I'm home!"

I bid Chitra a quick goodbye and dart over to open the door. Dad lifts me up and twirls me about. I giggle in spite of myself. "Daaaaad, I'm big now!"

"You sure are, but that doesn't mean I can't do this!" He tickles me till I shriek.

"Did you solve it, Dad? Did you solve the mystery?"

"We sure did. We'll tell you all about it at the party, okay?" He kisses me on the forehead. "I've missed you, my girl."

"Missed you too," I say. "Dad? I smell bacon."

Dad laughs his booming laugh and plops me down on my bed. "Your mum," he says, "is cooking up breakfast. Get dressed quick and maybe we'll save you some!"

 _Nestlings eat FIRST!_ Chitra protests from the windowsill.

I giggle. Dad reaches into his pocket and gives her some more seeds. "Don't worry, Miss Chitra. This is the Triton house. We _never_ skimp on food!"


	2. Chapter 2

London is a reeeeeeeeeeeeeally long way away, even in Dad's car. More than an hour! Mum always says we live farther away because London makes her sneeze, but I don't know if I believe her.

Sometimes I fall asleep on this trip, but not today. Today I watch the world rush by through my window the whole way to Professor's house.

"Dad! Are we almost there?"

Mum starts laughing. "Rory, you've been visiting Professor Layton since before you could walk. You surely know where we are!"

I bounce in my seat, 'cuz I do. We're right around the corner now! "Is Uncle Fendi coming today?"

"He gave me his personal promise he wouldn't miss this, don't worry!" Dad says. "And Miss Lucy promised to remind him. You know how Fen gets with cases." I giggle. "We've got some more surprises for you, too, birthday girl."

"What, Dad?"

We pull up in front of Professor's house. Dad turns around to smile at me. "Why don't you go and see?"

Professor lives in the best house I've ever seen, even though Uncle Tony's is probably bigger. But half of Uncle Tony's house is actually the museum, so it gets really empty sometimes. Professor's house always has people living in it. I race for the porch and ring the doorbell three or four times. "Hello! Is anybody home?"

Nothing happens for a long time. "They're not home!" I yell to Mum and Dad.

"Patience is an attribute of a lady!" Dad calls back.

Hmmph. Well, okay. I wait on the porch… and wait… and finally I go sit down on the step.

Then from behind me I hear, "Well, if it isn't Hurricane Aurora."

"AUNT EMMY!" I yell. "You're back you're back you're back you're back you're _back!"_

I throw my arms around her. Her jacket smells like the jungle. "Surprised?" she asks.

"Yeah! Are you going to show me all your pictures?"

"I've only been home for two days, sproutling, I haven't got _all_ of them developed yet! Not to mention _somebody_ wanted my help solving a mystery…"

"What are you looking at _me_ for?" Dad complains.

I look up. Aunt Emmy's grinning. "Oh, no reason, Luke, no reason at _all."_

Dad rolls his eyes and follows Mum up the steps. "Rory," Mum says, "if you can bear to be parted from Emmy for just a moment I'd like to give her a hug as well."

"It's good to see you again, Arianna," Aunt Emmy says. "Actually, the professor asked if I'd send you and Luke in to his study, and I'll take charge of the birthday girl…?"

"You sure you won't fall over from jet lag?" Dad jokes. Aunt Emmy sticks her tongue out at him. "Now, now, is _that_ the way of a true lady?"

"You know exactly what kind of lady I am, _sprout._ Shoo, before I haul you off over my shoulder."

Dad rolls his eyes, but he's laughing.

"Okay, Ror," Mum says to me. "You be good for Emmy and—is Flora here too?"

Auntie Flora's voice echoes from inside. "Helloooooooo! I'm up to my elbows in cake batter! I'll see everybody at party time, okay?"

"Auntie Flora's making my cake?!" I bounce up and down. "Oh boy! Auntie Flora makes the best cakes in the whole wide world! Dad, you're making funny faces again!"

"You and your long memory, Luke," Mum scolds. "Let's go. Professor Layton's waiting for us!"


End file.
